Do you worry your penis is too small?

Humans are pretty well-endowed. Well, if you compare them to apes at least. Only the chimpanzee has a longer penis, and no monkey beats man when it comes to girth. But the average chap worries a lot about the size of his manhood, and always has done.

For centuries the penis has been revered as a symbol of power, masculinity, intelligence and accomplishment. And attempting to modify (and enlarge) the organ isn't a modern pursuit either. Holy men in India tried stretching theirs with weights procured from holy men. And no less painful was an ancient Brazilian tradition, where snakes were encouraged to bite a man's member. In some Australian indigenous tribes the phallus was divided in two, and in Borneo creating holes in which to insert objects was also once common place.

History of penis size trends

But size isn't everything. There have been vogues for the smaller penis as well. For instance, in around 400 BC Aristophanes described the idealised Greek male as having: "a gleaming chest, bright skin, broad shoulders, tiny tongue, strong buttocks and a tiny prick". A larger penis, on the other hand, was considered brutal, comical and even grotesque.

So men have been obsessing about their penises for thousands of years! But what has changed in recent times is the number men can compare their own to. Once the only males you might have seen naked were family or fellow schoolmates after PE, but there is now a huge number of penises available on the internet for a boy or man to measure himself against.

It's a worrying trend, specifically because for some who consider themselves abnormally small, it can become a deeply destructive body dysmorphia. But in reality, the majority of men who worry about it are completely adequately sized. So it's the perception of what's considered normal that needs addressing, as well as the behaviours that some may have developed as a result of their belief. These can include avoiding relationships, depression, anxiety and considering procedures to enlarge their member.

Men need to remember that while a penis in online porn certainly serves as a sign of virility and masculinity, it is also a stunt object. It's just not fair to compare it to the reality of the average phallus.

But that won't stop them seeing genitals in pornography as a stick to measure themselves against. For instance, a recent online study, conducted by Dr Ed, looked at a man's average penis size vs what he considered the ideal to be. The results showed that most men's ideal length was consistently longer than average. So why do many people now seem to believe that standard simply isn't big enough?

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The average penis

According to results from a 2015 study (in the British Journal of Urology), the average erect penis is 13.12cm (or 5.21 inches) long and 11.66cm (or 4.59 inches) around.

But what's considered 'medically small'? Well, only 2.28% of the population fall under this category and that's defined as an erect penis under 7cm (or 2.76 inches). While many men wish for a larger phallus (45% in fact), it's those with distinctly average penises who tend to worry about it more than males with genuinely small ones.

What do women want?

And how much of a difference does size make when it comes to sex anyway? Researchers found that although there was a positive relationship between men who had a larger penis and their sense of sexual competence, this doesn't necessarily marry up with the female preference. Studies have shown up to 90% of women prefer width to length anyway. The average vagina is only 10 cm deep; so most men and women fit together fine.

Increasing penis size

Some patients consider penis extenders (stretching devices or even use a technique called jelqing. But such measures can cause permanent damage and lead to erectile failure. They also aren't terribly successful. Occasionally patients consider surgery, but there's only a limited amount of length one can gain. In several studies, only 25% of men who had surgery were pleased with the outcome.

Still concerned?

I hope this has been reassuring but if you're still worried about the size of your penis, do consider speaking with a doctor or therapist. Psychological interventions are incredibly helpful at supporting and helping men who are negatively focused on how they measure up.

The materials in this web site are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor. The web site does not have answers to all problems. Answers to specific problems may not apply to everyone. If you notice medical symptoms or feel ill, you should consult your doctor - for further information see our Terms and conditions.

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